1. The First Dynasty
Stripes

2. Vocabulary to Know
Dynasty
Nobles
Oracle bones
Fu Hao
Anyang

3. Read Aloud
“In 1899 a Chinese scholar became ill and asked his doctor for help. He was given a pack of animal bones that, when ground up, would make a popular medicine. When the scholar looked closely at the bones, he noticed that they were covered with mysterious ancient writing. He became determined to find out where the bones came from and what they meant. Later the scholar led archaeologists to a site along the Huang River. What they found would change history books about ancient China” (164).

4. The Big Picture 3000 BC Egypt 3000 BC Fertile Crescent Indus Valley
China’s Huang River
United Upper and Lower Egypt
City-states and towns
Cities grew to become capitals of states

5. China 1700 BC One city controlled Huang River Delta
Earliest capital – Shang
State then name Shang
Leading family also named Shang
Dynasty became known as the Shang Dynasty
Shang Dynasty shaped the lives of people along the Huang River for 600 years

6. What is a dynasty A line of rulers who belong to the same family
Control is passed from one generation to the next

7. Towns Along the Huang River
Hundreds of town sprang up along the Huang River
All were ruled by the Shang Dynasty
New towns created when new lands were given to relative
Relatives were
called nobles
Who ”oversaw the
construction of the
new towns and
became their rulers”
(p. 165).

8. A Shang Ruler
Busy with
“towns were important centers of society” (p. 165)
Supplied food
Supplied clothes
Supplied other product to the king and nobles
Had to keep enemy states from invading
People were part-time soldiers
Sent to war whenever needed

9. An Ancient City After 600 year rule the capital was moved
New capital was today’s Anyang
The bones earlier
Described In the
lesson led to the
excavation of the
ruins giving
Information about the
life in Shang Dynasty
of China

10. Discoveries of Shang Dynasty
Chariots found
near the palace

11. Other Finds at Anyang Many huts Dug ½ into ground Pit houses Houses
Workshops
for metal workers,
potters,
servants
Palaces
Artifacts
Bronze cups
Stone carvings
Chariots
Royal tombs
Dragon scales or
bones

12. A Written Record Written language
Oracle script or bones with patterns of cracks to answer questions
Writing on tortoise shells
Shell bone writing
Priests heated bones
Bones will crack
Used to answer questions
Characters stand for objects
“Written on bamboo and silk”
(p. 166) though none survived,
Writing on bronze has survived.
Dragon bones really cattle
Refer to the divine

13. What the findings tell us
Tell archeologists how rich the Shang Dynasty from discoveries from
Grave belonged to king’s wife, Fu Hao of “Lady Hao”
Led troops to war
Ruled her own town
Remembered in history because records of her life preserved in tomb
Husband is Wu Ding depended on oracle bones to predict future

14. Lady Hao's Tomb http://curriculum. calstatela
Lady Hao's tomb (ca B.C.) is also called Tomb 5 of the Yin Ruins (Shang dynasty). This is one of the smaller tombs and not in the main royal cemetery. The pit is an oblong shaft with a measurement of 5.6m by 4m at the mouth and an orientation of 10 degree to the northeast. Toward the middle of both its eastern and western walls at a depth of about 6.2m is an elongated niche containing several sacrifices. The pit is provided at the bottom with a secondary earthen platforms on all four sides. On the bottom of the pit is a waist pit with a human sacrifice and a dog. There is a wooden chamber which is 5m long and m wide, and 1.3m high. Inside the chamber is a lacquered coffin, now rotted.
The tomb occupant was interred with at least sixteen human sacrifices (four men, two women, two children and eight others of unknown sex and age). The burial objects were placed in the fillings of the tomb chamber, above the chamber, on the chamber top, in the space between the chamber and coffin, and inside the coffin.
There are total of 1928 pieces in the tomb:
468 are bronzes, of which there were:
Photograph of the excavation of Lady Hao's tomb
130 weapons
23 bells
27 knives
4 mirrors
4 tigers or tiger heads,
755 jade objects,
63 stone objects,
47 gemstone objects,
564 bone objects, of which there were:
nearly 500 bone hairpins
over 20 bone arrowheads
5 ivory objects,
11 pottery objects
nearly 6,900 pieces of cowry shells
Lady Hao probably is the same Lady Hao mentioned in many oracle bone inscriptions as one of the many wives of the King Wu Ding (c.1200 B.C.). She died before her husband and was subsequently given the posthumous title of Xin.

15. Organization of Shang Society
King and Family
Nobles
Craftsmen
Farmers
Prisoners of War

16. Religion of the Shang Believed their ancestors lived in another world
Ancestors controlled human life
Oracle bones made predictions
If predictions came true, they believed it was through the King’s ancestors helped him
Proved he was the rightful ruler
Polytheistic
Gods controlled nature
The dead joined their ancestors and the gods

17. Why It Matters
Shang Dynasty created a legacy shaping life for centuries in China
Beliefs
Form of government
Writing system

18. Reviewing Facts and Idea
MAIN IDEAS
Around 1700 BC the Shhang state won control over the Huany Valley region. This area was ruled by the Shang dynasty until 1100 BC.
The Shang used writing to record and predict important events.

19. THINK ABOUT IT
Describe the social pyramid of China during the Shang dynasty.
What were oracle bones ?How were they used in ancient China?
FOCUS: What were three artifacts found at Anyang? What do they tell us about the people who lived there?
THINKING SKILL: Compare the Shang system of government with that of the pharaohs’ government in Egypt.
GEOGRAPHY: Imagine you are a noble who is building a town in Shang China. Where would you decide to build? What would you consider in making your decision?

20. Bibliography